Fire escape



April 8, 1930. c. E. MARTIN 1,753,798

FIRE ESCAPE Filed April 2, 1928 INVENTOR. Ceca) E.

The invention will be best understood by a' therefrom is an arm 26 provided with a notch Patented Apr. 8 1930 V mm earns? oFFic-E Applieationfiled April 2; 1928. Serial No. 268,499.

My invention relates to a new and useful 7 tion 15. The lower end of the members 10 improvement in a fire escape adapted for and Bare each provided with the inwardly mounting particularly 011 buildings which are turned portion 16 which is adapted to engage not provided with a fire escape which accomthe surface of the wall 7, so as to compensate L5 modates several rooms, and has for its object for the overlapping of the sill 9, so that when the provision of a fire-escape of this class strain is put on the supporting members 10 which will be simple in structure, economical and 13, they will not be bent inwardly. Seof manufacture, highly elficient in use, and cured'to each of the supporting members 10 one which is so arranged and constructed and 13, intermediate their ends, are rings 17,

is that, when mounted on the building, it will connected to which and depending therefrom not mar or afiect, to any great extent, the apare chains 18 and 19. Connecting the ring 17 pearance of the building. is a rung 20 and connecting the chains 18 and It is another object of the invention to pro- 19 at spaced intervals are rungs 21 which are vide in a fire escape of this class a hopper or secured to these chains as shown in Fig. 4E.

container for containing a flexible ladder and The chains and the rungs thus aflord'a flexto provide means on the device whereby the ible ladder. 1 hopper or container may be held in its nor- A cross bar 22 serves to connect the supmal or containing position and easily re ports 10 and 13', adjacent their lower ends. leased to permit the dropping of the ladder A hinge 22 serves to connect to the'cross bar to operative position. a V 22 the plate 23, having outwardly projecting Other objects will appear hereinafter. sides 24 and 25, this plate with the flange The invention consists in the combination forming sides 24' and 25 forming part of a and arrangement of parts hereinafter decontainer orhopper. Mounted on the inner scribed and claimed. surface of the side 25 and inwardly oifset 5 reference to the accompanying drawings 26 adjacent its free end. A ring 28 is sewhich form a part of this specification and in cured to the free end. Hingedly connected which, to the lower edge of the plate23 is the clo- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the in sure or cover 27, which is provided on its free vention applied to a building, showing the edge with the notch 27 Attached at one end hopper released. to the si1l9 and at its'opposite edge to the Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the plate 27 adjacentits free edge, is a flexible invention applied to a building showing the a cord or chain 29.

hopper in operative position. When the device is in operative position to Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the inafford an escape or a means of egress by a vention applied to a building. personfrom the building through the window Fig. i is a perspective view of a portion of 8, the various parts are in the relation shown the flexible ladder. inFig. 1. i

In the drawings I have illustrated the in- In order to fold the device into the posivention used on a building wall 7 in which is tion shown in Fig. 2 the occupant of the room formed a window 8 having the window sill 9. could, by grasping the chain 29, swing the Supports 10 and 13 are mounted on the Winvarious parts upwardly, the plate 23 swinging dow sill 9, each of these supports having an on its hinge until the notch 26 and the arm angularly turned portion 11, which engages 26 engaged the edge of the clip 14:, the notch the upper surface of the window sill 9 and 27 serving to accommodate the arm 26. At is attached thereto by suitable fastening the same time, the closure or cover 27 would means, such as nails 12. Mounted on the engage beneath the upturned portion 15 so upper surface of the angularly disposed porthat the device would be securely locked in tion 11 and projecting outwardly therefromposition. Prior to this movement, however,

is a clip 14 having the upwardly turned porthe flexible ladder would be folded-in'position, or drawn upwardly out of the way until the arm 26 had engaged the portion 15, after which it may be deposited on the plate 23, and the cover 27 further swung closed to engage beneath the portion 15.

In this way there is provided a container for the flexible ladder which is of a minimum number of parts and of such material that it can be cheaply and economically manufactured, the plates 28 and 27 being preferably formed of light sheet metal.

The device is adaptable for use on private homes and other buildings which are not of sufiicient height to warrant the erection of expensive fire escapes.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of my invention, I do not Wish to limit myself to the precise details of structure shown, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fire escape of the class described adapted for use in connection with a building having a supporting portion, comprising: supporting members secured to said supporting portion and projecting downwardly therefrom in spaced relation; a bar connecting said supporting members adjacent their lower ends; a plate swingably mounted at one edge on said bar; side members projecting outwardly from one face of said plate at its opposite ends, the outer edges of said side members being curved; a curved cover plate swingably mounted on the free edge of said first mentioned plate and adapted for swinging into engagement with the curved edges of said side members; a flexible ladder mounted on said supporting members, said first mentioned plate being swingable into horizontal position and adapted for support ing said flexible ladder; an engagement member secured to and projecting upwardly and outwardly from the upper end of said supporting members; a notch bearing arm mounted on one of said side members and engageable with said engagement member for releasably locking said first mentioned plate in horizontal position.

2. A fire escape of the class described adapted for use in connection with a building having a supporting portion, comprising: supporting members secured to said supporting portion and projecting downwardly therefrom in spaced relation; a bar connecting said supporting members adjacent their lower ends; a plate swingably mounted at one edge on said bar; side members projecting outwardly from one face of said plate at its opposite ends, the outer edges of said side members being curved; a curved cover plate swingably mounted on the free edge of said first mentioned plate and adapted for swingnvsavee ing into engagement with the curved edges of said side members; a flexible ladder mounted on said supporting members, said first mentioned plate being swingable into horizontal position and adapted for supporting said flexible ladder; an engagement member secured to and projecting upwardly and outwardly from the upper end of said supporting members; a notch bearing arm mounted on one of said side members and engageable with said engagement member for releasably locking said first mentioned plate in horizon tal position, said cover plate having a notch formed in its free edge for accommodating said notch bearing arm, the edge of said cover plate being swingable upon movement of said first mentioned plate to horizontal position into engagement at its free edge with the under surface of said engagement member.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

CECIL E. MARTIN. 

